


Something There

by Titti



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-02
Updated: 2013-02-02
Packaged: 2017-11-27 22:37:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/667248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titti/pseuds/Titti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little drunk party and some magic take Belle and Jefferson to a different land, where the two must live together  for two weeks, before they can go back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something There

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the ouat_exchange on LJ.

**Title:** Something There  
 **Recipient:** **Author:** **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Jefferson/Belle  
 **Word Count:** 3500+  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Summary:** A little drunk party and some magic take Belle and Jefferson to a different land, where the two must live together for two weeks, before they can go back.  
 **Author's Notes:** I tried to include a few of your favorite tropes with a magical spin ad a soft touch from Belle. I hope that you enjoy it. Written for the ouat_exchange on LJ.

 

"Once Upon A Time," Belle started. It was reading time at the library. Since Belle had taken over, she had reached out to the children, trying to get them involved in the beauty found between the pages of a book. In this land with no magic, most stories started with those four words, but the story that she was about to read was one she had written, one that had started not too long ago, right here in Storybrooke, or more accurately- 

Where was the fun in telling people, reading the story was much more magical….

~*~*~*~

"Someone get me out. Help. Someone, anyone?"

Belle sat up with a jolt. She frowned. Had she heard a voice? The plea for help came again, even though it didn't sound much like a plea, more like a veiled threat. She stood up and looked around. She was in the middle of the woods with no recollection of how she had gotten there.

"Is there anyone there? Come on; I can hear you. Give me a hand."

Belle walked toward the voice, stopping when she found the man sitting on the ground. "And what's the magic word?"

"Abracadabra," the man answered in a snit.

"Please. The magic word is _please_ , " Belle said with a smile. "I'm Belle and you are?"

"Currently sitting here, because I've sprained my ankle when we landed here," came the reply.

She didn't let the answer affect her. Instead, she looked at him. "Wait? I know you. You're the one who freed me, a friend of Rumple. You're… you're Jefferson, right?" Belle asked. "And where's here? How did we get here?" The previous night was a blur. "I remember being at Granny's to celebrate Emma and Snow return," she said as she looked for some branches she could use to help with his ankle. "I remember the drinks, but after a while, I can't remember."

"Business associates. He doesn't have friends. And, you remember correctly; there was lots of drinking," Jefferson said.

"But you weren't there." It was a statement and a question, because she really couldn't remember. "I don't think you were," she added as she crouched in front of him. 

"Do you know what you're doing?" Jefferson asked

"I'm going to use these branches to immobilize your foot. It's not going to be perfect, but it should help, but if you can do it better, you can do it yourself." She took her sweater off and ripped the sleeves off. It was the best she could do to tie it up. "So what happened?"

"Not sure. I came over for dinner, and half the town was there, drunk. Someone was trying to see if they could do magic. Then someone else joined in. Then someone else." He looked from his foot to her. "We're not in Storybrooke anymore. I don't know where we are, but I can feel the magic all around. Can't you?"

Belle looked around and then shook her head. "But I don't like magic."

Jefferson snorted. 

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Belle asked.

"I know who you are, who you're with." Jefferson stressed the last part.

Belle straightened up, her voice cooling. "Was with. Now, we need to find out where we are and how to go home."

"If there's magic, I can get us there. I need a hat."

Belle looked around and then back at him with a raised eyebrow. "Do you see a hat? No, there isn't one. Ready to get up?"

Jefferson nodded and stretched his arm to get her help. "You're bossy."

"I'm practical. Come on, up you go." Belle helped him up, which wasn't easy considering how small she was, but she stayed close and put his arm around her. "You lean on me and we'll find the way."

 

It turned out that it wasn't that simple. They walked for hours, moving very slowly. The simple brace wasn't enough to stop the pain completely. By the time they reached the closest village, they were tired, hungry and Jefferson could barely stand up. They still didn't have a way to go home or money to get what they needed.

"I'm very good at finding things. We can strike a bargain to get what we need," Jefferson said.

Belle laughed. "How will you find things when you can barely move? And you still need a hat to enchant."

"Are you always such a downer?"

"As I said, I'm practical," she said. "And you are right about the bargaining, just not your way."

The village was small and people knew each other. It was easy to find the only inn, but with no money that would be accepted here, Belle had to be creative. Still beggars couldn't be chooser and nothing was as bad as a room in the basement of hospital. Now, she had to get Jefferson to agree.

"We have a room." She started with a bright smile, hoping that it would make things go smoother.

" _A_ room?" Jefferson asked, with raised eyebrow.

"Well, I was hoping for two suites, but our budget is somewhat limited. As I was saying, we have a room. The maid's room. Don't worry, you can have the bed. It's best for your ankle. I've agreed to help out at the inn and with the children's homework and you will make the inn's owner a dress," she informed him calmly.

"I don't make dresses; I make hats," Jefferson replied.

"So you can take measurements, cut, sew, right?" she asked, still smiling. "And when making dresses, you need to buy things that Jacinta, that's the owner, will pay for, and if you get some extra things you can use for a hat, no one will be the wiser."

Jefferson looked at her with a smirk. "You're devious. I like it."

"Is two weeks enough?" she asked, now worried. She hadn't known how much time they needed, and Jacinta had only given them two weeks, and then they were out. "The maid went to help her sister who gave birth. She'll be back in two weeks."

"If I have to stay here longer than that, it won't be a problem, because I'll kill myself." No, he needed to get back to Storybrooke and his daughter. He wouldn't leave her alone without an explanation again. "Two weeks and we're out of here."

Belle smiled. "Good, now let's get settled."

 

The first week went by quickly. Belle was busy most of the day, helping with the chores in the morning and helping the two children after school. That was her favorite part of the day. She loved teaching them, reading to them, seeing how much they enjoyed it. After that, it was back to work until dinner. It wasn't until then that she'd see Jefferson. They would have dinner in the kitchen and then they'd sit outside and talk, but as the second week started, Belle could sense that Jefferson was getting antsy.

She waited until they were back in their room. She sat on the floor, legs stretched in front of her. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"The bed is too small and uncomfortable. The food is passable, and nothing is up to my standards. Is that enough?" Jefferson asked.

Belle raised both shoulders in a shrug. "It would be, if I didn't know you."

"You've barely met me," Jefferson pointed out.

Belle stood up and went to sit on the bed next to him. She took his hand in hers, smiling. "I think I know you a little. We've been talking for days, you've been telling me about your life in Wonderland and Storybrooke. I can tell when you smile for real and when it's just an act. So what is it? I know you've almost finished the dress and the hat. What else is going on?"

Jefferson looked at their joined hands. It had been too long since he'd touched someone like this, like a friend. He didn't have friends, but business partners. "It's the hat. It's done, but it's not working. The magic… something is missing."

"What's missing?" she asked. "This is what you do, how you travel. Think about it. I'm sure you know it if you think about it." She kissed his cheek. "I have faith in you."

Jefferson looked at her. "Why? I'm not the most… cordial person."

Belle laughed. "I know a thing or two about men that are less than cordial, but I also know what's beneath a person's exterior. You're trying very hard to making me dislike you, but do you know what I see? A man who's lonely and afraid that if he lets someone in, he'll get hurt again. You start talking to me and then when you say too much, you close off and go to bed. It's okay, though. I've been alone, too. For a long time. I understand what it's like, how strange the simple things feel, things like…." She raised their hands. "A simple touch, a smile, a meal shared together."

"I haven't touched people in a long time, not like this, before the curse," Jefferson admitted in a whisper. "My wife left me. I don't blame her. I was always traveling through lands."

"Making deals," Belle added gently

Jefferson nodded. "Making deals, and magic is powerful. It can give you so much if it's the right kind of magic, but it takes away from you as well."

"I'm sorry," she offered.

"You shouldn't be. It was my fault." Jefferson sighed. "But, that was a lifetime ago and now, we're here." He looked at the wardrobe where the hat was and sighed. "I'll get it to work. I'll get you home. I promise."

Belle broke into a smile. "I know you will, and now we should get some sleep." She got up and kissed his forehead, but before she could move away, he grabbed her wrist. "What is it?"

"We can share the bed if you want. Purely platonic. I just… I miss waking up with someone."

"I thought the bed was too small," she said, teasing.

"Then we'll just have to sleep closer," he said, wiggling his eyebrows, before laughing. "You don't have to."

Belle bit her lip, thinking for a moment. "I've never shared a bed with anyone. I think I'd like that." 

She went into bathroom to change into the nightgown that Jefferson had made her the first day they got here, and when she got back, Jefferson was already in bed, only a candle on the nightstand lighting the room. 

Belle blew out the candle and slipped under the cover. The bed was small and they had to lie close. Jefferson put an arm around her as he spooned against her. She could feel the blush on her cheeks. "It's much warmer here."

"You should have told me you were cold," Jefferson said, not masking his concern.

"Why? So you could find more blankets for me?" she asked, trying to divert the attention from the real reason why she was suddenly warm.

"Maybe I'd have switched places with you," he answered, but his voice reflected his uncertainty.

"Maybe, but this is best for both of us." She turned her head and kissed him chastely. "It worked out in the end. Good night, Jefferson."

"Night, Belle."

 

The crash from their room was loud and could be heard all over the first floor of the inn. Belle ran out of the kitchen to see what was happening. When she opened the door, she saw Jefferson, sitting crossed-legged on the floor, with the hat in front of him. She looked around the room to discover the source of the noise. "Did you throw the book against the wall? More importantly, are you … pouting?"

Jefferson stared at the hat for a while, before raising his eyes. "I don't pout."

Belle smiled. "It sure looked like it to me," she said, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. She went and sat on the floor next to him, legs folded under her. "And what about the book?

Jefferson looked to the side. "I might have done that. I've been looking for ways to enchant the hat, but…." He took the hat and spun it around. "Nothing. Nothing I do works and tomorrow we have to leave."

"We have to leave the inn. Nothing says that we have to leave this land. We'll find some place to go," she reassured him. "An empty building, the forest, somewhere, and it will only be for a few days, because I know you'll get it to work."

"How can you keep saying that?" Jefferson asked, annoyed. "I've done everything in my power. Do you know how long I've been trying?"

"Since we got here," Belle answered.

"No, since we got to Storybrooke. It's been close to three decades, and I haven't been able to open the portal without Regina's help." He spun the hat around again. "It's never going to happen. We're stuck here."

Belle took the hat and turned it around to take a better look at it. "It's beautifully made." She shifted, kneeling in front of Jefferson, and placed the hat on his lap. "That's not why I keep saying it though. I've seen how magic words. The good and the bad. It comes from here." She put a hand on his heart. "You can't study this, you can't overthink it. You need to open your heart and reach for that magic."

"If it were that simple, I would have done it a long time ago," Jefferson answered.

"I don't believe it's simple at all. It's not about wanting something, but believing that you will achieve it and it's hard to believe when you're not really hoping, when you're going through the motions. Magic means either being willing to sacrifice your soul or being willing to trust the unknown. Neither is easy to achieve, but I know that you can find it in you to do this." 

He looked down at the hat. "But I can't. I wasn't lying when I said that we can't go back. I know what I did to enchant my first hat. I don't know why I forgot in Storybrooke, but I remembered here."

"That's great," she said, smiling again.

Jefferson raised his eyes to look at her and shook his head. "It's not, because I didn't enchant it. I can't. I know the spell, but it won't work if I cast it. It has to be someone pure, someone who's never cast dark magic."

"I've never cast dark magic. Or magic at all, but if you can teach me, I'll do it," she said, with a frown. She still wasn't seeing what the bit problem was. They had the hat, Jefferson knew the spell and she could cast it. "There's something more, isn't there?"

He nodded. "There always is. As you said, magic must come from somewhere and it takes a lot of magic to create a portal to other words. It takes powerful magic."

"All right, so we might have a little problem there. I'm not really powerful. At all, but we can try. You can teach me. We'll make it work."

"That's not it. Regina is powerful and she couldn't cast this spell. The person that cast has to be connected to me, she needs to be… in love with me and I with her," he said.

It took a moment and then she finally understood. "You didn't cast the spell, because your wife did."

There was another small nod. "And that's why I couldn't make another one in Storybrooke. It was never the hat, but the enchantment. Do you see why we can't go anywhere?"

She stared at him as she put her hands on his knees and leaned closer, closing her eyes, before she pressed her lips to his. It started out as sweet and innocent, but Jefferson pulled her as close as he could with the hat still standing between them to deepen the kiss. His hand drifted down her neck, brushing against her nipple. Bell gasped. He took the opportunity to slip his tongue past her teeth, exploring her mouth with seductive slowness, but then he pushed abruptly. "I can't do this to you."

"Do what? I kissed you, remember?" Belle said with a smile.

"Yes, because you want to go back, but sex isn't the answer. Sex isn't powerful enough to cast the spell," he said.

Belle shook her head. "It's not about sex, Jefferson. I wouldn't… I've never…. No, it's not about that at all. I like you. I like the man I see under the prickly exterior. I like waking up with you, I enjoy discussing what's happening around us during dinner, I am fond of our philosophical discussion under the stars. I like you." She framed his cheeks with delicate hands. "Is it that hard to believe that I might be falling in love with you?"

Jefferson laughed bitterly. "It doesn't happen like that. You need-"

"Time? Because love at first sight doesn't happen, right? Fairy tales are for children and magic is only in the books, correct?" Belle shook her head. "It's not like that, Jefferson. I never thought that love at first sight could happen, and this isn't at first sight if you want to be technical, because we met when you freed me. I know it's fast, less than two weeks, but being with you is… magical. Every little thing is better because you're around. I like books and logical explanations, but I can't give you one. I do know what I feel though."

"I haven't felt in a long time, since she left me, I haven't known how. I've loved my daughter, but that's different." Jefferson sighed. "You…" He smiled. "You're very different from any woman I've known, and you make me smile, but I haven't opened up in so long. I don't know if I can." 

"Only one way to find out." Belle took his hand and stood up. "You're going to teach me this spell."

Jefferson had plenty of reservation, but he was done arguing. He would teach her the spell, she could cast it and then she'd know that whatever they were feeling, if he was even feeling anything, was not love.

"I can hear you thinking," she teased. "You should just tell me what to do so you can prove me wrong."

"If that's why we're doing it, then far from me from delaying proof of my brilliancy." Jefferson got up, holding the hat in a hand. He put in on the bed and stretched his arm in her direction. Belle took his hand and he pulled her in front of the bed. He stood behind her, arms around. "This is what you do."

Belle watched, memorizing every detail, before she repeated everything that Jefferson did, but she wasn't sure she was doing it right. She had never done magic before. "Did it work?"

"As well as it worked with me," Jefferson said, sarcastically. "Give it up, Belle. We can't go home. We'll have to travel this land and find a way to survive here." 

Belle turned her head. "Would you stop being so pessimistic? You've been doing magic all of your life and I've never have. Give me some time."

"Fine, but we both know that I'm right," he said.

"Great, now let's do this again." Despite her words, she wasn't so sure. She had thought that she'd been in love with Rumple, but that hadn't been real and now she had to love Jefferson and cast magic. She stood in front of the hat and took a deep breath.

Believe.

She needed to believe in herself, in her feelings for Jefferson and his for her, in her inner strength.

Belle closed her eyes and cast the spell. When she was done, she opened again and saw the soft yellow light travel from her hands to the hat. She turned in Jefferson's arms and kissed him again. "I knew we could do it," she whispered. "Let's go home."

~*~*~*~

"And they lived happily ever after," Belle said, closing the book. "I hope you liked it. Now, off you go. Find a book you like to check out." She waited for the children to get moving, before she got up from the rocking chair and going through the shelves to put the book back.

"You didn't use the real names."

She turned and smiled brightly. "Prince Valiant and Princess Cherie sound a lot better than Jefferson and Belle."

He moved close. "I don't know. I like the sound of Jefferson and Belle." He leaned down and kissed her. "I like the sounds of happily ever after, too."

Belle ducked her head, smiling. "I might like it as well."

"Good, because it'd be terrible if they'd broke up. You' d ruin all of the kids' dreams. We really must do it for them," he said.

" _You_ are terrible." She slapped his arm. "Go away now. I still have to work to do."

Jefferson chuckled. "I'll see you home."

Belle nodded, before watching him go. They were friends and lovers. She didn't know if they would have happily ever after, but she sure hoped so.


End file.
